The Giant's Causeway in County Antrim - Northern Ireland

The Giant's Causeway is located in County Antrim on the north coast of Northern Ireland. 60 millions year ago Antrim was subject to intense volcanic activity, when highly fluid molten basalt intruded through chalk beds to form an extensive volcanic plateau. As the lava cooled, contraction occurred. Horizontal contraction fractured in a similar way to drying mud, with the cracks propagating down as the mass cooled, leaving pillarlike structures, which also fractured horizontally into "biscuits". According to legend, the columns are the remains of a causeway built by a giant. The story goes that the Irish giant Finn macool, was challenged to a fight by the Scottish giant Benandonner. Fionn accepted the challenge and built the causeway across so that the two giants could meet.